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Africa Fete 1998, produced by Island Records and The John
F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and sponsored by American Express
Company, will commence this June in San Diego. Afrika Fete was conceived
20 years ago in Paris by Mamadou Konte, an African immigrant living in Paris,
with a desire to familiarize the French people with African culture through
music and dance. Island Records Founder Chris Blackwell developed upon the
idea, and the label initiated the Africa Fete tour in the U-S in 1993, and
experienced tremendous growth and success throughout the three years of
the tour [Due to a lack of funding, Africa Fete was unable to exist in 1996
and 1997]. Miama Herald described the atmosphere of Africa Fete 1995. "When
the whole sea of people joined hands, waving and hip-rocking in French Creole
and English, it was one hell of a party."
Now part of the Kennedy Center's African Odyssey program, a four year festival
of music, dance and theater from Africa and the African Diaspora funded
by a $2 million grant from American Express, Africa Fete 1998 will travel
to over 16 cities across the U.S. and Canada.
"I am delighted that Africa Fete is once again coming to fruition after
witnessing the substantial accomplishments of its previous tours in the
United States," commented Karen Yee, Vice President of Artist Development
for Island Records and Tour Producer for Africa Fete. "The combination
of the unique vision of Africa Fete, the talents of a diverse artist roster
and the support of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Axts and
American Express makes Africa Fete 1998 an ideal opportunity to bring the
beauty of African music and culture to an ever-increasing audience."
"We are very excited about our involvement with Africa Fete. It expands
African Odyssey, the Kennedy Center Initiative, that presents the best of
African arts and culture on its stages in Washington, DC.," explained
Lawrcncc J. Wilker, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing
Arts. "African Odyssey was launched last April, the beginning of a
four year commitment by the Center to program African companies and artists.
As a national center for the performing arts, ws have a unique responsibility
to reflect the American people in all that we do. Afrcan Odyssey represents
a way for us to highlight yet another core element of American culture and
to reach to new segments of our community. Africa Fete helps us expand our
limits -- it takes African Odyssey on the American road.
Beth Salcmo, Vice President of the American Fxpress Philanthropic
Program says, "This sponsorship extends our conunitment to support
major performing arts institutions and events throughout the U.S. -- we
look forward to building upon our involvement with African Odyssey through
Africa Fete. By touring Africa Fete across the nation with.Island Records
and The Kennedy Center, we hope to enrich audiences and help raise awareness
of the significant contributions that African culture has made across the
world. "
The critically-acclaimed Malian artist Salif Keita says of his involvement
on the tour, "I am really excited to introduce my new Wanda Band, the
Mali/American connection and am delighted to be performing on Africa Fete
and to be in the company of such great musicians."
Once again, Africa Fete is pleased to have the tour promoted on Afropop
Worldwide, the award-winning weekly program hosted by Georges Collinet heard
on Public Radio International stations across the United States and Europe.
Africa Fate is more than just a musical tour -- it is a travelling community
of performers, chefs and vendors who set up an "African Village,"
and bring a part of the African experience to each city it visits. The media
raved about Africa Fete 1995. The Boston Globe named the event "the
premiere touring sampler of African music, " Los Angelas Times claimed
Africa Fete 'achieved its objective of introducing African music to a broader
audience.' New York called Africa Fete "overwhelming ... with arts,
clothing and food from the Continent, the festival's sure to fill Central
Park's midsection with wonderful smells and sounds." LA Weekly named
Africa Fete "the most impressive free concert of the year-"
In its 27-year history, The Kennedy Center has always taken its Congressional
mandate seriously; to present, produce and nurture the best of the, performing
arts nationally and internationally, as well as serving the nation as a
leader in arts education- The Center is America's living memorial to President
Kennedy as well as the nations busiest facility, presenting almost 3,000
performances each year for audiences approaching 2 million. More than 3
million people tour the Center each year, and annually an additional 20
million attend touring productions or tune in television or radio broadcast.
Salif Keita & The Wanda Band (Mali) -- Keita's soaring voice, inspiring performance ability, as well
as his emotionally-fueled songs has gained him international star status.
His last recording "Folon...The Past" was voted one of the 10
best records of that year by Tower Pulse! and received rave reviews from
Rolling Stone and Washington Post, to name a few. Keita has just finished
recording his new album produced by Vernon Reid, an album of the new African-American
music -- bringing together musicians from Mali and America. Africa Fete
will be the premiere of his new band and their new music.
Papa Wemba & Molokai (Zaire) -- Wemba intertwines his African
musical roots with modern, international music styles, a wonderful pop blend
fused together on his last Real World release P-motion by producer Stephen
Hague (Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, New Order). Wemba draws his influences from
Afro Cuban, American rock & rhythm and blues, and his own traditional
rhythms. He will be releasing a new album produced by John Leckie in June
1998.
Chcikh L43 (Senegal) -- Cheikh Lo has created an inspired and sensual
acoustic/electric mix on his debut World Circuit/Nonesuch recording Ne La
Thiass, infusing rare Mbalax rhythms with a Latin feeling, inspired by his
love for Zairian Rhumba. Lo was discovered by Senegalese musician Youssou
N'Dour, who worked on this album producing and performing, along with his
master musicians Omar Sow, Mbaye Dieye Faye and Assane Thiam of the Super
Etoile de Dakar. Mojo glows: "The rush on first hearing Ne La Thiass
is reminiscent of nothing so much as that first spine-tingling exposure
to the Wailers' Catch A Fim -- and there's no higher praise. "
Maryam Mursal (Somalia) -- Mursal is one of the first female singers
to perform professionally within a deeply male-dominated Islamic society.
A powerful, dynamic singer, her musical style is steeped in the traditional
music of her country with a remarkable hybrid sound of African and Arabic
sequences, organically created by centuries of cross-cultural fertilization
between migrating nomadic tribes. Maryam Mursal will be releasing her debut
solo album The Journey, produced by Simon Ermnerson of the Afro-Celt Sound
System, on Peter Gabriel's Real World label this April.
Afrika Fete performs in Piedmont Park Sunday
July 12.
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© 1998 National Black Arts Festival
Last updated on: 7/2/98.